Q: My husband is going back to school in the fall and we have two young kids, so we've decided that we'll try switching our main family meal to breakfast rather than dinner to try and keep us connected. I know we can have family time over bowls of cereal, but it would be nice to make it a little more special as often as possible.

Q: I am hosting a family picnic in Wisconsin the 2nd week of June. Some kids but mostly adults. I'm living in California now and am much more of a foodie than my Midwestern family. I'd love some family-friendly and "not too foodie" ideas for a picnic. We won't have a grill, so all the dishes will need to be made ahead.

Q: I am one of those "can't boil water" people who never really cooks. I want to learn, but I'm not sure where to start. I'm finally moving into my own place this summer and I don't have any tools of my own. What do I need and what are some easy recipes that I can start learning with?

Q: How can I recreate at home Heinz baked beans with the red tomato sauce, typical of english breakfasts? My little brother loves the taste.

Sent by Aurora

Q: I broke my hand last week, and I'm having trouble cooking with one hand. I'm already getting tired of veggie burgers, yogurt, and fruit — and I have a minimum of four more weeks in a cast! Do you have any suggestions for healthy meals I can make with one hand? I can't even cut vegetables!

Sent by Nicole

Q: My boyfriend follows a pretty strict no-carb (or low-carb) diet, and he has a HUGE appetite. Without pasta or rice, it's proven difficult to stretch a dollar when I have to leave these "filler" ingredients behind. Any no- (or low-) carb recipes made with inexpensive ingredients that I can add to my repertoire? 

Q: Everyone loves creamy mac and cheese, but I'm the opposite — I love boxed mac and cheese because I can have a "dry" mac and cheese that still tastes cheesy. Is there anyway to replicate that "dry but cheesy" pasta with real foods?

Sent by Celeste

Q: I bought a rather expensive hunk of cotija cheese for our Cinco de Mayo tacos. What else can I do with it besides add to salads?

Sent by Diane

Q: I am planning my wedding for October and would love to have some homemade desserts. We live four hours from our wedding venue and would need dishes that can travel well and still be good up to 48 hours later. Any ideas for small desserts other than cookies that would work?

Sent by Michelle

Q: What are the best dairy substitutes for savory recipes? As in cheese- or cream-based dishes? I've read about replacing milk with almond milk or coconut milk for baking and sweet foods, but they sound like they would be too sweet for a pasta sauce or casseroles.